Hyundai Verna facelift petrol - First Drive Review
Following is the review of the Hyundai Verna facelift petrol. The exterior, interior, features, ride and handling, brakes and safety sections are identical to the Verna facelift diesel.
The Verna facelift petrol is identified on the outside by the VTVT badge on the front fender. Inside, the tachometer is the sole differentiating element between the petrol and diesel.
Engine and Gearbox:
Like the diesel, Hyundai offers the petrol variants of the Verna with two engine options - a 1.4- and 1.6-liter unit. The 1.6-liter engine is available with a 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic, and our test was done on the manual variant.
Again, there are no mechanical changes to this engine. It makes 123 PS and 155 Nm of torque (15.8 kgm), identical to the pre-facelift model. Hyundai’s 1.6-liter petrol with VTVT technology is one of the better petrol engines made by the Korean car maker. Refinement and low NVH levels are highlights of this unit, and the smooth shifting 5-speed manual makes city driving a breeze.
The downside to this smooth motor is that it lacks outright performance of the 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine - the current benchmark - fitted in the new Honda City. Despite the larger displacement, and higher power output (the City's engine makes 119 PS), we would still pick the City for outright performance.
Where the Hyundai unit slightly betters the Honda is in low-speed response. You can do speeds of 30 km/h in fourth gear and still get a decent move on without downshifting.
Fuel Efficiency:
Hyundai claims the petrol manual is good for 17.01 km/l and the automatic at 15.74 km/l. In city driving conditions we were able to extract about 10 km/l, while on the highway, the Verna petrol recorded 13.5 km/l.
Prices:
Prices will be announced on February 18. For reference, the Verna 1.6 petrol with 6 airbags costs INR 9.96 lakhs, ex-Showroom, New Delhi.
Verdict:
With the price gap between petrol and diesel narrowing, about 40 percent of mid-size sedan buyers opt for the petrol variant (in case of the new City). If its not outright performance you're after, rather a refined petrol unit for commute in the city with decent fuel efficiency, the Verna petrol is worth a look.
Yes, the ride and handling has plenty of room for improvement, but if you're primarily looking to drive in the city, the Verna's softer suspension setup will certainly come appreciated. Add to that the well built cabin and the decent feature and list, the Verna facelift is definitely worthy of a consideration.
What we Like:
- Refinement of petrol engine
- Build quality of the cabin
What we Dislike:
- The 1.6L unit is not a performance oriented engine
- Ride and handling has room for improvement